Saw handle and measuring device



Jm 23, 1940- J; N. ALEXANDER 2,188,021

SAW HANDLE AND MEASURING DEVICE Original/Filed Jan. 7, 1935 PatentedJan. 23, 1940 SAW HANDLE AND MEASURING DEVICE James N. Alexander,Birmingham, Ala.

Application January 7, 1935, Serial No. 774 Renewed September 17, 1937 3Claims.

This invention relates to saws, and more particularly has reference to ahandle therefor pro vided with a measuring device.

The advantages of a measuring device carried by a saw are believed to beobvious, when the fact is considered that the actual sawing operation isfrequently dependent upon first determining the length of the desiredblock or piece of wood. Heretofore it has been common practice to haveseparate saws and measuring devices, and no means have been provided formounting a tape measure in a saw handle in such a way that it does notinterfere with the manipulation of the saw, and at the same time isready for instant and convenient use.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a saw handle carryingin association therewith a measuring device.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a handle for a saw inwhich a tape measure is arranged and available for quick use.

With these and other objects in view which may be incident to myimprovements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to behereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that theseveral necessary elements comprising my invention may be varied inconstruction, proportions and arrangements, without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown the application of my inventiveconcept to both a single-handle saw and a double-handle saw. While Ihave shown various modifications of my invention, it will of course beobvious that further variations may be made without exceeding the scopeof the appended claims In this drawing, in which corresponding numeralsrefer to the same parts:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a handle of a saw equipped with myinvention, and a portion of the blade, the saw in this instance being asingle-handle saw.

Figure 2 is a view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a view of a modified form of the device shown in Figures 1through 4.

In Figure 1 there is disclosed a saw blade I of 5 conventionalconstruction, provided with a handie 2, suitably secured thereto bymeans of win nuts 3. The handle 2 is provided with a lubricant reservoirand means for feeding the lubricant to the saw blade, constructedgenerally along the lines set forth in my related Patent is Number2,070,195 issued February 9, 1937. The handle may be formed of anysuitable material, but I have found a light-weight metal or alloy to bepreferable.

The handle 2 is provided'with a hand engaging i fi portion 3, in whichis formed a lubricant reservoir 5. It will be noted that the reservoir 5is disposed in the lower portion of the hand engaging member 4, so thata tape, to be described hereafter, may be located above such reservoir.

Two ducts ii and I extend forwardly from the lower portion of thereservoir to points in the "face of the handle and on opposite sidesofthe blade 1. As best shown in Figure 4, the forward end of each duct isshouldered and interiorly threaded to receive a cylindrical fittingmember 8 provided with an end closure 9. The closure 9 is provided withan aperture H which is set off from the. center, and which is ofrestricted cross section. A cap 12 may be threaded upon the fitting 8,and provided with a centrally disposed aperture l3.

It will therefore be seen that when the cap 12 is screwed tight againstthe closuremember 9, the duct 6, or 1, is closed, and no oil may passtherethrough. However, when the cap I2 is slightly unscrewed, as shownin the lower part of Figure 4, oil from the reservoir 5 may pass throughducts 6 or 1, through fitting 8, and thence through the apertures H andI3 onto the blade or the saw. It will be noted that the oil may flow bygravity, and in practice it is desirable to incline the blade to thevertical about both its horizontal and longitudinal axes, so that theoil will flow onto the top side of the blade. At the same time, theopposite cap I2 should be closed, so that no oil from its duct will driponto the ground. The blade may then be reversed so that the oppositeside is lubricated.

To accommodate a tape measure, the upper portion of the handle, or morespecifically the hand engaging portion l, may be cut away as indicatedin Figure 3 to form a recess l4.

An arm is may be pivoted, as at H5, in the upper portion of the recess,the exterior face of the 5 arm l5 conforming to the general contour ofthe saw. The arm 15 may be notched as at 60 for engagement by a spring6| to lock the arm in closed position. Another notch 62 may be made tofacilitate opening of the arm by the operator.

Securely fastened to the under side of arm I! is a casing I! for aconventional tape measure.

The tape 18 extends through a slot in the casing and a slot I9 in thearm l5. A suitable tab 20 is secured to the free end of the tape, whichnot only facilitates grasping by the operator but likewise preventscomplete retraction of the tape through slot l9 and the slotted casing.As best indicated in Figure 2, the tape l8 has one end secured to arotatable drum Ill, and is wound thereabout. The drum in turn rotates onbearing 2!, and resiliently resists rotation, when the tape is extended,by virtue of helical spring 22. One end of the helical spring is securedto the drum l9, while the opposite end is secured to the bearing 2|.

The drum I0 is provided with detents 23, which are engaged by a pawl 24.The pawl 24 is operated by button 25, which is depressed against thetension of the spring 26 to disengage the pawl 2t from the detents 23,to thereby permit the helical spring 22 to rewind the tape upon thedrum.

It will be noted from Figure 2 that the button 25 extends through thesaw handle and into a cup-shaped recess 2? formed in the handle. Thebutton 25 therefore maintains the arm l5 and tape within the handle ofthe saw, and yet when it is desired to pivot the arm l5 the button 25has sufficient play so that it can be depressed to permit the tape to beswung free of the recess l4.

It will be noted that an aperture 28 extends from the reservoir 5 to therecessed portion l4. Through this aperture, lubricant may be fed intothe reservoir when the tape is removed from recess I 2. Althoughindependent closure means may be employed for the aperture 28, I preferto form integrally upon the casing l? a closure member 2Q whichautomatically and effectively closes the aperture 28. It will also beappreciated that the contents of the reservoir may be emptied bypivoting the arm l5 so that the tape is swung free of the recess l i.

In Figure 5 I have shown an alternative form of filling and dischargechannel. In this case a channel 35 is located at the base of thereservoir 5, and a suitable screw cap 32 is provided as a closure membertherefor. The tape and casing I? are located in the top of the handle,as in Figure 3, but obviously the casing may be permanently securedwithin the handle if so desired.

It will of course be appreciated that there are various othermodifications that can be made in the specific arrangement of the tapein the handle, and the above are exemplary merely.

The advantages of my invention are believed to be obvious from theforegoing. In the first place a compact arrangement is afiorded which atthe same time afiords an adequate operation of the several elements. Thedevice is inexpensive to manufacture and is yet sturdy in construction.A carpenter is enabled to have both a saw and a tape measure in a singleunit with the advantages such a construction affords.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself tothe precise details of construction herein set forth by way ofillustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may bemade therein, by those skilled in the art, without departing from thespirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A saw handle provided with a recess therein, a casing having a tapemeasure adapted to rest in the recess, a tape measure in the casing, apivoted closure means provided with an aperture through which the end ofthe tape measure protrudes, a spring detent to hold the pivoted closuremeans in closed position, a locking device carried by the casing for thetape adapted to extend through the side wall of the recess in which thecasing for the tape is housed, means to normally urge the locking deviceoutwardly of said handle whereby the device may be released by pressurefrom the outside of the handle, when it is desired to remove the casingfrom the handle.

2. In a saw handle with a recess therein, a casing for a tape measureadapted to rest in the recess, a tape measure in the casing, a hingedlid adapted to engage and hold the casing in place, said lid conformingin shape to the surface of the casing adjacent the lid and conforming inshape to the outer contour of the saw handle at the edges of theaperture, said lid also provided with an aperture through which the saidtape protrudes whereby said tape may be grasped and withdrawn by theuser.

3. A saw handle having a grip portion, a saw blade, means for attachingthe saw blade to the saw handle, there being a recess within said gripportion, a casing for a tape measure fitting in the recess, a tapemeasure in the casing, a. lid adapted to hold the casing in place,hinging means pivotally joining the lid to said grip portion on the sideof said lid nearest the blade, said lid having an inclined apertureallowing the end of the tape measure to protrude, said aperture beinginclined upward and away from the saw blade.

JAMES N. ALEXANDER.

